Thornhill Square

Fill in this Council questionnaire to preserve our library

 

What are we being asked and why?

Transcript:

Dear Boys and Girls,

Congratulations on the new library, because it isn't just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you---and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.

Signed, 'Isaac Asimov', 1971. Written in an effort to attract as many youngsters to the premises as possible. The original is posted on this excellent blog: Letters of Note ) 

Now Islington residents are being asked to fill in a questionnaire as part of a consultation on Islington libraries. Councils are closing libraries countrywide, at the moment, In order to save money. Thankfully, Islington Council has pledged not to close any libraries this year, but cost cutting will inevitably mean library closures or reduced library services at some point.

Islington Council will use the consultation to guide/justify their decisions about which libraries/services will go. Therefore if we want to keep our libraries it is important that we each fill in this questionnaire to let our Council know how and when we use our libraries and how we see ourselves using them in the future. 

Click here to fill in the form online, or  pick up a hard copy from any library in Islington. The deadline for submission is 31 July. Tip: Allow around ten minutes to complete the form online, and  to move on through the questions click the 'Next' button at the bottom each page.

A Public meeting 

There will also be a public meeting  on 21 June at Finsbury Library 7p.m (map below)

View Larger Map

Bird Spotting in Barnsbury Wood

Julian Amey of Thornhill Crescent was part of the original co-oporative that saved Barnsbury Wood from a plan to turn it into housing. He also knows a thing or two about birds. At my request, he wrote a list of the birds he's seen and heard in Barnsbury Wood and here it is below fyi with pics and audio clips of birdsong. Barnsbury Wood is open all year round on Tuesdays from 2.00 to 4.00 p.m., and in the summer  (July to September) it also opens on Saturdays from 2.00 to 4.00 p.m.

Song thrush

 

Birdsong-Song_Thrush

 

 

 Currently frequenting Barnsbury Wood, for the first time I can remember (we arrived in 1984) we have a Song Thrush which can be heard singing loudly with its distinctive clear 'cheep cheep and then a trill' - quite different from the more usual musical warbling of the blackbirds. I also saw the thrush in the upper branches of the lime tree this weeknd - it is noticeable by its light brown plumage and speckled breast.

 

Chaffinch  

 

Birdsong-Chaffinch

 

We also had two chaffinches over this weekend, and although I have occasionally seen them before, they now seem to be more frequent visitors. They have pink breasts and a white flash in their browm wings.

Dunnock 

 

Birdsong-Dunnock

 

We also now have resident dunnocks, which look rather like robins without the red breast and they forage in the undergrowth.

 

Wood Pigeon 

 

Birdsong_wood_pigeon

 

 
Carrion Crow

 

Magpie  

 

Jay  

 

Jackdaw

 

Greater spotted woodpecker

 

Birdsong_greater_spotted_woodpecker

 

 

Blackbird  

 

Birdsong-Blackbird

 

 

Robin 

 

Birdsong-Robin

 

 

Wren  

 

Birdsong-Wren

 

 

Blue tit 

 

Birdsong-Blue_Tit

 

 

Coal tit  

 

Birdsong-Coal_Tit

 

 

Long tailed tit  

 

Birdsong_long_tailed_tit

 

 

Great tit  

 

Birdsong-Great_Tit

 

 

Redwing (winter visitor)

Open Squares Weekend next Sunday 2pm-5pm on Saturday 11 June

BARNSBURY SQUARE will be open from 2pm-5pm on Saturday 11 June as part of this year's Open Squares Weekend (in association with the London Parks and Gardens Trust).  

See the new planting, meet a neighbour, grab a tea/coffee, bring a friend and maybe some cake if you'd like to!
all the best
Lucy
The Friends of Barnsbury Square Gardens

www.friendsofbarnsburysqgardens.com

Open Garden in Thornhill Square this Sunday, 5th June

36 Thornhill Square's beautiful garden is open on Sunday between 2 and 6 p.m. for the National Garden Scheme (£2, mostly to Macmillan Nurses). It's also an opportunity to sample Anna's excellent tea and cakes!

 

 

How Thornhill Residents Association helped the local youth group

Thornhill Residents' donation of £2,000 in March 201O contributed to educating youngsters on scooter safety and drug awareness. 

A big thank you to all the residents of Thornhill Square for your support

Click to download a report from Youth workers Theo Thomas & Stephen Griffith 

 Download ScootAlive Report2 (3) 

 fCopenhagen Youth Project Office: 020 7607 6050  Copenhagen Youth Project, 1st Floor, West Library, Bridgeman Road London N1 1BD

And a big thank you to Theo and Stephen from CYP for all their good work

Message from Farm Direct dot com telling us about their food ordering service

Farm-direct.com is a food ordering service, based just by Highbury Fields that allows Islington residents to order food from the Home Counties. Much more than just a veg box scheme, it is your grocer, butcher and fishmonger rolled into one, offering - meat, veggies, fruit, fish, bakery, dairy, home made foods (made in Highbury)– all British, and all supporting local and smaller scale food producers. No tie-ins or weekly commitments – open Friday to Sunday each week.

The Guardian, Wellcome Trust, Argent and the local Islington community bring you: The Cally Festival

The Guardian, Wellcome Trust, Argent and the local Islington community bring you: The Cally Festival
Sunday 3rd July
12 noon - 6pm

Anya Johnson
Market Manager
Cally Festival
anya.callyfestival@gmail.com
07896 183 750

Brought to you by The Guardian, Wellcome Trust, Argent and the local Islington community...

We welcome you to ‘The Cally Festival.'The first community-boutique event taking place on the backbone of King’s Cross- the Caledonian Road.

This pop-up festival will see a large section of Caledonian Road closed off and packed full of rare Sunday afternoon delights! There will be a live music stage with exciting well-known acts spanning across the genres of pop, hip hop, rock n’ roll, funk, and gospel.

The street will be lined with over 70 independent market traders, selling a range of products from designer-maker crafts to home-made cakes.
Islington’s finest authentic foods can be sampled in the Food Village alongside cooking demonstrations.
Children can be entertained in the Kids’ Zone, with an eclectic mix of activities from circus to craft workshops and storytelling in the tipi.
If you’re feeling energetic, you can join in one-on-one football and Wii Fit Tennis, or watch some impressive tricks at the skateboard demo.
And just so you don't miss out, the Wimbledon Tennis finals will be shown on a large outdoor screen by our grassy patch, provided of course with strawberries!

Come and sample our delights.

5-Day Artist Residency with Exhibition (30th May-3rd June).

There's an opportunity for 6 experienced artists to run a mini apprenticeship session with residents from the Bemerton Estate running up to the festival. The 5 day program (11-4pm) will take place in a huge warehouse within the estate grounds, with each pair having their own personal work studio within the warehouse The artist can use their work studio space for a week (flexible) to generate some exciting pieces of artwork with the residents. The idea is for the 6 artists to work together with the residents to come up with an exciting joint-project with personal guidance.
The end result of the residency is to exhibit the artwork for one day in a pop up gallery for a viewing on the day of the Cally Festival - Sunday 3rd July. The pop up gallery is located in the centre of the festival strip on the high street. This is the first session of a pioneering project of teaming up artists with Bemerton Estate residents to produce artwork for the estate. Materials can be provided and we are aiming to use recycled materials where possible.
This project will be exposed to the local council, The Guardian and everyone at the Cally Festival.

BUNTING!

Would you like to make some bunting for Cally Festival? Plenty of bright and colourful recycled materials are provided to decorate Caledonian Road. We are aiming to make over 300m for the event, so please join in and tell your friends and neighbours!

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Vote at http://www.islington.gov.uk/online_survey/peoples-plaque-voting.asp (closing date 28 February) for people to be commemorated by green plaques. One of the ten on the list lived in Thornhill Square.

We have an Indian restaurant in Thornhill Square

We have an Indian restaurant in Thornhill Square, where the Cuckoo pub used to be. It's called Roots N1 and it is NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Roots N1

tel: 0207 697 4488

twitter feed: @RootsAtN1

More info on Urbanspoon

News from Islington Police - be vigilant using smart phones...

 

Officers warn public to be vigilant using smart phones

 Islington Police is warning the community to take care when using smart phones in public as part of a London-wide awareness campaign this January.

 During the post-holiday season, which sees many people sporting new high-value goods, such as phones, electronic tablets, media players and jewellery, the MPS is advising owners across London to take care when and where they take them out.

While operational activity to tackle street robbery continues, including increased patrols in hotspot areas and pro-active investigations to arrest those responsible, the MPS is asking Londoners to take some steps to help themselves.

Detective Sergeant Sean Tuckey, said: "Islington Police officers take street robbery very seriously and we are working hard to catch offenders. However, the public can minimise the chance of it happening by taking s ome basic measures. When you are out, where possible try to keep any valuables secure. The majority of items which are stolen during robberies in Islington are smart phones and electronic tablets like iPads. Criminals simply see these items as cash.

"Many robberies happen when people check their phones or use applications just after leaving train stations, or when they are going about their business and may be distracted. Adults who have consumed alcohol and have less awareness of their surroundings are also more vulnerable. We're also aware that young people are targeted, usually by other young people.

 

"We are not asking the public not to use their phones or media players in public - we are just advising them to be vigilant about where and when they use them."

 

For more information and crime prevention advice visit www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention  (or for young people aged 11-16 ) visit  www.safe.met.police.uk .

 

 

 

 

  

For more infor mation about Islington Police go to www.met.police.uk/islington. If you no longer wish to receive Islington Police news alerts please email rebecca.may@met.police.uk.